Starting-igniter for internal-combustion engines



H. w. S UMNER. STARTING IGNI TER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. I

APPLICATION FILED JULY'3, 1918.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

I awuwbo'b mm W S umzzer W W 504% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY W. SUMNER, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. *7, 1920.

Application filed July 3, 1918. Serial No. 243,212.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY WV. SUMNER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Seattle, county of King, and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting- Igniters for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines of the surface ignition type and consists of a means for igniting the charges at starting.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved device for use in igniting the charges in internal combustion engines of the class described, which device may be used when starting an engine to insure prompt and certain ignition, until the heat generated by the burning of the charges, has heated up the normal ignitingsurfaces to a' suflicient temperature to ignite the charges.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a device of this character in a design wherein the parts thereof which are essen tial to its proper operation, shallwhen in use be exposed as little as possible to the heat' generated by the combustion of the charges,

and wherein, when not in use, all the essen- I tial parts shall be protected from the heat of combustion of the charges.

Another object is to provide a construction wherein the igniting device may bere-j .moved from and replaced in the engine vention will be hereinafter described, as'it while the en ine is runnin usin its normal 0 u surface ignition.

The construct1on and operation of my 1n has been embodied in the form which is now preferredby me, and that which I consider novel and upon which I desire patent, will be defined in the claims.

The drawing is a section through the combustion chamber and the adjacent end of an engine cylinder showing'my invention applied thereto.

'In that class of internal combustion engines employing surface ignition, or in which the ignition of the charge is secured by the heat of thewalls of a combustion chamber, or of some other member which is exposed to and heated by the heat of the charge, it is necessary, in starting, to provide means, either for preliminary heating of th s member, or for independently thereof igniting a sufficient number of charges to heat up the igniting member.

In the drawing, 1 represents a combustion and compression chamber which is secured to and communicates with the end of an engine cylinder 2. The piston has not been shown. These, as herein shown and described, are only illustrative of the type of engine with which my device is intended to work. My device may be employed with any standard construction of these parts.

At a convenient point, preferably where it will be subjected to the fuel spray. issuing from the nozzle 10, I provide a bore or chamber 3, which communicates with the combustion chamber and forms an ignition chamber. In this I provide an ignition member and also means for sealing or cutting off this ignition chamber from the combustion chamber.

As I prefer to construct these parts,

,the ignition chamber is divided into two is placed.

The bore 30 has a valve seat 32. somewhat inward from its innerend, or that end which connects with the combustion chamber, and facing outwardly, or away from the combustion chamber. The valve 4, has a tip 40 which 'fills the inner mouth of the bore 30 and a valve surface 41 which seats upon the valve seat 32.

The valve 4 is connected with a hand wheel 5 in some manner which permits easy reciprocation thereof, as by a threaded stem which is connected therewith.- Any suitable means for operating the valve may be used; As shown, the stem is connected with the valve by a rotative joint consisting of ahead 51 on the stem which enters a T-slot in the valve.

The bore 31 in which the ignition member is placed. connects with the bore 30 outwardly of but close to the ,valveseat 32. This ignition member is constructed as a plug which may be inserted and removed as necessary. When the valve 4 is seated the ignition plug may be removed even' if the engine is running. 7 j

- The plug shown employs a body 6. which screws into the bore; This has its inner end provided with a marginal tapering zone 60, which seats upon a complementary'shoulder the plug.

in the bore, to thereby make a tight joint. I have also shown-the greater part of the body of the plug as of such reduced diameter as to leave a shallow chamber 61 surrounding it and forming a heat insulating means.

This plug is centrally bored, and in this bore is a rod 7, of smaller diameter than the bore and having a head 70, between which and the inner end of the body 6 is placed a washer 62 of electrically insulating'material. The end of the body 6 is recessed to receive this washer, thereby I securing'the stem 7 in exact concentric position inthe body of the plug. A similar washer is simis larly recessed in the outer end of the body of These washers hold the stem 7 out of electrical contact with the body 6. :A nut 71 secures thewhole together.

An extension 72 at the outer endof this stem forms onemember of an electrical connection, of which the socket 7 3 is the other.

The inclosingor sleeve cylinder 74 is an insulator.

Supported upon the inner projecting end .of the stem7 is a wire 8, which has one end connected with the stem 7 and its other end connected withthe body 6. This wire tained in the chamber 31, I may provide a bleed or snifter port to permit a slight "dis- .is not bpred. 1

is so proportioned to the electrical current to be used, thatit will be thereby heated to a temperature which willpromptly ignite a combustible mixturewhich may be brought into contact therewith. 1 e

To make absolutely .certainthat the come bustible mixture being compressedin the combustionichamber 1 be brought into'igniting relation with the igniting member con charge therefrom, thus insuring the drawing therein of the fuel and its ignition. I have shown such a port at 9. As shown, this is continued as a central'borein the bolt 90, and if its action is found unnecessary, it may be closed by substituting a -bolt which With the engine running under normal.

conditions, the valve 4 is closed and the electrical connection with the ignition plug is removed. In this condition the valve seating surfaces 41' and 32, are protected from the direct action of the heat and'the gases of combustion, by the tip40 of the valve, which 'tip fills the mouth of the open- 1ng.. With the valve closed the ignition plug 7 may be removed.

Bykeeping the igniting member of the startingplug removed from free and open exposure tothe heat of combustion in the combustion chamber 1, excessive heating thereof and its consequent burning out is prevente g By -making the seating of the {valve so 1 T: that the valve iswithd'rawn from the combustion chamber in opening, instead of being ment back from the opening has therein themeans closing the opening by projected into the combustion chamber, this valve and its seat is protected from exces- V chamber are sufficiently heated to ignite the charge. Where afairly high compression is used this need not be for a very long period.

The making of the ignition plug separate from the valve and locating it in a bore which is closed off from the combustlon chamber by the valve, enables removal of.

the .ignition plug while the engine is running. 7 V

Locating the ignition member back in a recess out of the combustion chamber, protects it from the heat of the burning charge. With this heat added tothe heat produced by the electric current, it is apt to be soon burned out. At the same time, the ignition of the charge is as reliably secured.

Placing the valve seating surfaces back in the recess also protects them from the continued action of the burning charges,.and

they are not injured thereby and thelife of the valve is prolonged.

WhatI claim as my invention is:

1 In combination, a combustion'chamber having an ignition-plug-receiving chamber, a priming ignition plug adapted to be secured in said chamber'with its igniting elethereof, and means independent of said ignition plug --manually operableto controlsaid opening.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which the chamber has two branches, one of which for closing theopen- .ing of the chamber and the other the ignin p ug- 7 -3.A device as in claim lglIL which the igniting element is maintained in fixed position and the closing means employs a valve movement vtoward the combustion chamber. 7

4. In combination, a combustion chamber having a valve receiving bore. extending to the exterior and containing an outwardly facing valve seat, and also having an ignition-plug-receiving bore intersecting the first bore outwardly of said valve seat, a valve insertible in the first bore and a priming ignition plug insertible in said second bore.

5. In combination, a combustion chamber having a valve receiving bore extending .to the exterior and containing an outwardly facing valve seat, and also having an ignitionplug-receiving bore intersecting the first bore outwardly of said Valve seat, a valve insertible in the first bore having a tip extending inward beyond the seat thereof and substantially filling the mouth of its receiving bore, and an ignition plug insertible in said second bore.

6. In combination, a combustion chamber, an igniting chamber connected with the combustion chamber, a valve adapted to close the connection between the ignition chamber and the combustion chamber, said valve being mounted to withdraw its seating surface from the combustion chamber in opening, and a priming ignition member independent of the valve and located in said chamber beyond the valve seat from the combustion chamber.

7. In combination, a combustion chamber, an igniting chamber connected therewith and having a valve seat located back from the combustion chamber, an ignition plug insertible into said ignition chamber outwardly of said valve seat, a valve adapted to engage said seat and having a tip which when the valve is seated, fills the neck of the ignition chamber between the valve seat and the inner surface of the combustion chamber.

8. An igniting device for internal combustion engines comprising a priming ignition member and means separate therefrom adapted to seal the ignition member from the combustion chamber. a

9. In combination, a combustion chamber and an ignition chamber connecting therewith, an ignition member in said ignition chamber back from the combustion chamher, said ignition chamber being provided with a snifter port. v

10. In combination, a combustion chamber having an ignition chamber connecting therewith and having a snifter port, an igniting member located at all times back 1n the ignition chamber, and a valve inde pendent of the ignition member adapted to close the connection' between the ignition chamber and the combustion chamber.

11. In combination, a combustion *cham ber and an ignition chamber connected with the combustion chamber, said ignition chamber having a permanently open snifter port. connecting therewith.

12. In combination, a combustion chamber and an ignition chamber connected with the combustion chamber, said ignition chamber having a permanently open snifter port connecting therewith, and a valve adapted to close the connection between ignition and combustion chambers.

Signed at Seattle, Washington.

HENRY W. SUMNER. 

